Here is the official information from SPEED about live news coverage:
SPEED will interrupt regularly scheduled programming Wednesday at 11 a.m. ET to bring viewers live coverage of the Petty Enterprises press conference from the Lowe’s Motor Speedway media center. Hosted by Kyle Petty, the press conference will address the future of the organization, introducing a new CEO and offering a driver lineup and sponsor packages for 2009 and beyond.
The folks at NASCAR Now already broke the news, here is their update:
NASCAR's most famed organization has called a news conference for 11 a.m. ET Wednesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Among the expected topics are a partnership with Boston Ventures Management and the re-signing of Bobby Labonte.
Veteran Hartford Courant writer Shawn Courchesne is naming names, and it is a big surprise to those of us in the TV world:
It's expected that 45-year old David Zucker, a former executive vice president of ESPN and former CEO of Playboy Enterprises and Midway Games, will be announced as the new CEO of the 60-year old racing organization.
Variety.com is not very kind to Zucker in terms of speaking about his recent exit as the CEO of Midway, the video game company. Here is the story in full. One sentence below will set the tone:
This one isn't exactly a surprise to those following Midway lately: CEO David Zucker was shown the door today after years of big losses and no revenue growth.
So, what could be a very interesting press conference will take place live on Wednesday at 11AM Eastern Time on SPEED.
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18 comments:
He reminds me of Bob Saget.
It does sound similar to DEI's hiring of Max Siegel. IF Boston Ventures is to be involved as a major equity investor, you would expect that they would want someone involved in whom they have confidence.
OK, JD,
Just read some of the links you gave us in your column. I think those links give a negative view of Mr. Zucker. And if true or not, I hope as a Petty fan they did there homework(am sure they did).Mr. Zucker's name rings a bell w/me just do not know where from. Could be from the annual report I get from Disney on the stock I have w/the company. Look forward to the press conference. I wish them well. I always root for the underdog w/PE and the #7
ESPNEWS and SPEED both providing coverage. Kyle surrendered control and David Zucker spoke about almost everything under the sun.
Perhaps, Zucker's opinion of both himself and the potential of Petty Racing needs to be taken with a grain of salt.
Wow. Big business continues to make its headway into the NASCAR world. Zucker's past, particularly at Playboy, seems like a misfit for the sport's culture. Only the future will tell if PE money + corporate executive is a good combo for running a race team.
Will this be good for NASCAR?
And SPEED goes into commercial mid-question.
Nothign more professional than dumping out of a live news conference and going right into a commercial break with no warning, eh?
I think bringing in a failed CEO who is "a fan" (Hey, so am I) to run the company is not the wisest idea.
Hopefully this doesn't turn into another Ginn situation..
@matt--I had the same thoughts
Why was Brian France there? I just caught part of this but don't remember him being at the Jr Press conference last year or the others.
Also somebody said they cut off Petty mid sentence for commercial...i came back in the room and infomercial was on? Wow..might be boring but 7 time champion Petty's team not worthy of an HOUR on SPEED?
I find it very strange Petty's will not let a beer label on the car or be in the Budweiser Shoot out but a guy that worked as a big shot at PLAYBOY MAGAZINE is hired?
I noticed Zucker did not mention Playboy as a place he had worked at.
Also his name rings a bell but I googled and got some director of movies come up...also tried Zuckerman who was in politics. I hope this helps the team.
When asked about the need for OUTSIDE investors to come in to help teams, Brian France acted like he had just woken up and could've given a better answer.
Sorry...to not like BF.
I did not get a chance to see the first 8 or 10 minutes of the press conference, but I presume Zucker is Boston Ventures' selection for CEO. As a long-time Petty fan I do hope and expect that Boston Ventures picked a well-qualified person to look after their investment of millions of $.
I was not impressed by Brian France's answers, nor by SPEED's well-placed commercials.
It does seem to me that Fenway's, Gillett's, and Boston Venture's investments are real votes of confidence in the future of NASCAR, but you would not get that from Lee Spencer's questioning or Brian France's response.
Hi Sophia-
FYI
The no alcohol sponsor on the cars was a promise that Richard made to his Mother.
:)
Thanks Lisa on the no alcohol thing...I seem to remember that now....
I am still flabbergasted at Brian F "huh, I just woke up response" ???
Somehow, I think his late father would've been more on the ball and indeed the whole thing is sad.
Also I missed the beginning of this but if it came on at 11AM, TW in Ohio just carried it to the bottom of the hour.
To see the King's company announced with such fanfare but little details of what's going on is just...well, sad.
I do hope they do well.
The big unanswered question is, "What does 'Controlling interest' " mean?
Does this mean, for example, if some hot shot from Boston Ventures is visiting the pit area during a race, and gets in the way of the someone in the crew and gets told off, does BV get to throw its weight around and get the guy fired?
How much influence did BV buy?
Kenny
Alameda, California
I finally watched my recording of the news conference and mine never went to commercial. I'm on Time Warner DFW, TX :)
This post has been removed by a Blog Administator because I said so.
Geo. W. Bush.
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